


Til’ The Next Time

by greitnok



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Childhood Friends, Even meets Isak when he was a kid, M/M, Time Travel, and doesn’t want him to feel alone, does it count?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-13 22:01:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12993426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greitnok/pseuds/greitnok
Summary: Isak meets him for the first time when he was sitting in the backyard of his house, disorientated and angry with the world.‘Could you possibly get me some clothes?’ a voice startled him out of his thoughts, he looked around to see a man popping his head out of the bushes.He would’ve found this request weird if it hadn’t been for the man’s embarrassed face which made Isak forget he had been crying his eyes out a moment ago and chuckle a little. ‘Mhm..yeah. Okay, wait.’OR, Even travels through time just to say to Isak ‘he’s not alone.’





	Til’ The Next Time

**Author's Note:**

> Who would’ve thought I’d post this fic I wrote months ago. This felt somehow personal because when I was little and watched The Time Traveler’s Wife for the first time, I kept dreaming of something like that among the issues at home. But I just had my birthday and realised I’m in a so much better place now regardless, so here you have it :)

**10 and 20**

 

 It was Valentine’s Day. _The day of capitalism,_ in Jonas’ words. Isak didn’t even know where he learned all of this, they were just ten, but here they were playing in the park close to their houses despite the cold wind blowing around and Isak was listening to Jonas rant about this ridiculous day. He was just nodding along as if he had been agreeing, but in fact Isak kind of found this day cute. It was giving people excuses to show their love to their loved ones. _What’s the harm in it, right?_

As Jonas was done with his argument and happy thinking he gained an ally, they decided to go back home. Jonas was thirsty because of all the talking and Isak didn’t want his mom to get upset because it was getting dark. The truth is when he got back home to give his mom a kiss on the cheek, his mom didn’t even notice he was back. His mom and dad, they were fighting in the kitchen. Isak didn’t understand. It was Valentine’s Day. They were supposed to show love to each other. What was that?

‘I told you I didn’t want to eat outside. Why did you book that restaurant any way? To show everyone how happy we are even though you’re the worst husband ever?’ said his mom, was she crying?

‘What are you still upset about that? I thought we left it behind us but you just keep bringing it up. Stop overreacting’ said his dad in a harsh tone. Isak despised his dad a little bit then, why was he making mom upset?

‘Don’t tell me what to do!’ yelled his mom, sobbing a little bit. _Go dad, give her a hug and say you’re sorry._ His dad didn’t. Isak left. Jonas was right Valentine’s day was just a stupid, meaningless day.

That’s how he ended up sitting in the backyard of his house, cursing at everything. His parent would give him judging looks for the curse words but they weren’t here and they didn’t care where Isak was so he cursed even more. He had been suspicious of that something was wrong last month, there were days with shouting at each other or there were days with the silent treatment. But it was back to good for a couple of days, apparently not.

‘Could you possibly get me some clothes?’ a voice startled him out of his thoughts, he looked around to see a man popping his head out of the bushes.

He would’ve found this request weird if it hadn’t been for the man’s embarrassed face which made Isak forget he had been crying his eyes out a moment ago and chuckle a little. ‘Mhm..yeah. Okay, wait.’

His parents were now quiet in the kitchen as Isak sneaked into their bedroom. He stole a sweater, a pair of trousers and shoes from his dad. He deserved it. He considered taking some underwear too but changed his mind at the last minute it would be weird giving some stranger his dad’s underwear. He went outside again, pretending like he had a superpower of being invisible. It didn’t ease the pain down that has been poking in his mind with the thought being ignored.

‘Thank you so much. I was freezing’ said the stranger happily as he was putting on the clothes behind the bushes.

‘Who walks around naked silly, it’s still winter.’ replied Isak, settling down the same place he had been sitting.

‘You’re right but I had no choice. Of course I don’t want to freeze to death. I’m glad I have you giving me clothes, thank you.’ explained the stranger, coming out of bushes and kneeling down next to Isak.

‘My parents taught me not to talk to strangers. But I’m mad at them now. Sooo. I’m Isak.’

‘I’m Even. So we’re not strangers now okay?’ Isak nodded. ‘You can talk to me. Why are you mad at them?’

‘I’m..they’re just arguing all the time lately. They don’t even know I’m not at home right now. They don’t seem to care about me.’ cried Isak, feeling weak, so weak and tired.

‘They care about you, Isak. You’re their son, of course they care about you. Sometimes parents can be overwhelmed with their own lives as well. But they love you, believe me.’ tried Even comforting him a bit.

‘You can’t know that. Whatever. I’m fine. I just hate this day. It’s so lame.’ changed Isak the topic. Even smiled and played along.

‘Lame? Be careful you might get to love it in the end. Where did you even learn that word?’

‘Jonas said so. It’s just for spending money and feeding the capitalist world even more.’ stated Isak, realising even more how right Jonas was. Even laughed then.

‘Jonas! Of course, Jonas.’ said Even between his laughter.

‘Do you know him?’ Isak was confused.

‘Yeah.’ Even said after pausing a tad, he added ‘I know you too. I mean I’ll know you in the future.’

‘What?’ shouted Isak, not controlling himself at all.

‘Okay. Be quiet. I’ll give you a secret okay. I’m a time traveler. I came from 2017.’

‘Pff. They don’t exist. Why are you trying to fool me? I’m not an idiot.’ said Isak, his voice clearly upset now.

‘I’m not. And I do exist. You just wait and see till I disappear then you’ll believe okay.’ explained Even.

‘Okay I guess we’ll see. Why did you travel then, don’t you have someone to celebrate with?’ Isak was still suspicious and it made Even amused.

‘I do but h-they don’t like this day either, just like you’ said Even, hitting their shoulders. ‘And I don’t exactly have control over it. It’s better now but when I was little it was hard for me I couldn’t choose when and where I would go and how long I would stay.’ explained Even.

‘So you can choose now and you came here? Why?’ Isak was curious and a tad hopeful someone out there possibly caring about him.

‘Yeah, it’s getting better and better over time. But you see I can’t still bring anything with me. Even clothes don’t travel fast enough. I just wait for a kid to have some mercy on me.’ teased Even, Isak just rolled his eyes. ‘And yeah I wanted to come here because you’re important to me.’

‘It’s a shame you can’t bring anything you could’ve brought some latest video games to me.’ Isak said, pouting.

‘I can bring you only my company unfortunately, but we can play games together, does it sound good?’

‘Yeah. Cool. Oh! You can help me with my homework too!’ Isak was excited.

‘Yeah. I can do that too.’ chuckled Even. ‘But I think I have to go now. Friends?’ extended Even his hand.

‘Yeah, friends.’ accepted Isak his hand, shaking a bit. And thinking better of it, Isak dropped the hand and held out his pinky. ‘Only if you promise you’ll come often.’

‘Pinky promise I’ll come as often as I can.’ assured Even.

‘Okay, good. If you really disappear now, you’ll be my coolest friend.’ said Isak, challenging. Even accepted the challenge, leaving Isak behind with his dad’s clothes and a smile in his face.

 

 

 

**13 and 30**

 

‘Where were you?’ Isak yelled as soon as Even appeared as usual behind the bushes.

‘I’m here now.’ said Even, holding his hands up as if he was surrendering. Isak gave in immediately.

‘Look I have a surprise for you. I bought you some clothes!’ cheered Isak, handing Even the clothes he bought for him, a hoodie, a pair of jeans and grey sneakers just about his size. Even took it, really surprised, then chuckled a bit.

‘You’re incredibly nice, Isak. But you didn’t have to, I can’t take them with me, you know.’ stated Even as he was putting them on.

‘Yeah, but you can wear them whenever you come and visit me. It’s not like I’ll buy you clothes all the time. I saved it for a year just to buy these. Oslo is so fucking expensive. How do you survive?’ complained Isak and Even laughed, shining like the sun.

‘Thank you. They’re perfect, Isak.’ said Even, coming and kneeling down and giving Isak a long hug.

‘Yeah..I don’t want you to wear my dad’s clothes. Just..What’s with the smile? You have this silly smile in your face from the moment you came.’ said Isak giving him an offended look.

‘Yeah? I’m just so happy, I guess. I became a dad!’

‘Congrats.’ said Isak with a dull voice, suddenly thoughts about being left behind again filling up his mind.

‘Everything okay?’ asked Even, immediately catching the tone of the voice.

‘Yeah..No. Something’s wrong with mom. I don’t know they won’t tell me. Also Jonas hanging with that Ingrid girl all the time. And you weren’t around. I think I felt so alone.’ said Isak, forcing his tears back to stay where they had been.

‘Isak..’ said Even with the most caring voice, ‘You’re not alone.’ hugging Isak again. ‘You know you’re not alone right? I’m right here. And everything will be alright.’

‘Whatever.’ mumbled Isak. ‘Since you managed to leave your perfect family for a couple of hours, can you help me with this worksheet?’ Isak knew he was being harsh and felt like a jealous idiot but couldn’t help it. Even just laughed even more.

 

 

 

**16 and 24**

 

It was Isak’s birthday and it was sunny so he was supposed to be happy. _He was._ But he recently watched that film called ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ and he was waiting for Even in the backyard, ready to confront him. He was first so happy that traveler traveled through time for his wife, he was feeling hopeful and tons of maybe’s in his mind, and then the film took a turn... He heard bushes shaking, Even came. Of course, he showed up, it was Isak’s birthday.

Putting on his clothes at the same spot, Even reached for Isak. ‘Happy birthday. You know I got you an amazing gift but it got lost at the post.’ teased Even. Isak couldn’t help giggling but put on a serious face in no time.

‘I watched a film called ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife. You’ve seen it right?’ Even nodded. ‘Is it why you don’t tell me anything about you or my future? Will you die or will I die? I can handle it you know, I’m not a kid anymore.’ stated Isak, clearly hurt by the fact Even possibly thought he couldn’t.

‘No one dies, Isak.’ Even laughed. ‘It’s nothing like that film, I promise.’

‘Okay, good.’ Isak felt a bit relieved. ‘Because it turned out a bit angsty you know with miscarriages and stuff. I hope your child will be okay.’ blurted out Isak.

‘Oh I have a child?’ Even was surprised.

‘Mhm..yeah. Sorry. Older you told me.’

‘Don’t be sorry I’m so happy right now. We’re only married for a couple of months but such a beautiful thought to know we’re gonna be a parent some day.’ smiled Even and it made Isak smile too. And a maybe appearing again.

‘Yeah you’ll be amazing parents, I’m sure. Anyway so I’m older now.’ stated Isak the obvious.

‘You’re sixteen now.’

‘Can you tell me how we’ll meet now?’

‘Isak I love that story so much. I wouldn’t change it for the world. And I want it to be a surprise okay. I won’t know you then and it’s better if you don’t know much as well. So you can make your own decisions and all.’

‘Okay just tell me when then?’ insisted Isak. He was tired of waiting and he was confused how jealous he was of Jonas and Eva recently and how afraid he was of why he was jealous.

‘Soon.’ smiled Even, not giving in. ‘Is everything good?’ added, trying to change the subject.

‘No. I don’t even know what to do. Everything is so complicated. I can’t help my mom and she scares me, she doesn’t even remember me sometimes.’ he looked up into Even’s eyes and added ‘And I don’t feel like kissing girls. It scares me too.’ Even didn’t even blink his eye.

‘It’s completely okay, Isak. Everything will be alright. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. You know that.’

‘Yeah but I don’t know what to do. I wish I knew.’ said Isak effortlessly then his eyes shined a bit. He added, ‘Maybe you could kiss me?’

‘What?!’ Even was choking on his own spit. ‘Isak, I’m twenty four.’

‘So what. Do you think it’s cheating? Do you think your spouse would mind?’ asked Isak, emphasising the word ‘spouse’ he was a little more hopeful with all the talking and maybe’s in his mind.

‘It’s not like that but..’

‘I just want to know how it feels, Even, please’ begged Isak. Even nodded and leaned in and gave him a peck.

Isak laughed. ‘That’s it? Oh my god. You’re a terrible kisser. I’m so sorry for yo-‘ Even interrupted his talk and kissed him again. For real this time. Isak melted into the kiss. Okay, wow. He was about to deepen the kiss but Even backtracked. Isak protested. He was going to lean in again but Even stood up.

‘I shouldn’t have done that.’ was the last words Isak heard from Even for a whole year.

 

 

 

**17 and 19**

 

Isak was a terrible person. He started to live in kollektivet because he couldn’t handle his mother any more and had left her just like his dad. He ruined his best friend’s relationship just because he was jealous. And he had lost Even. Because he scared him away. Not that he could deserve him anyway.

He was just sitting at the table with Jonas, Magnus and Mahdi. Not even pretending like interested in boys’ stories about girls. Then he heard a laugh. That laugh. He looked up immediately. Yes, it was him. It was Even. His first instinct was to walk there and give him a hug. It’s been so long. Over a year now. Then yell at him for not coming to visit anymore. _Was it okay to yell at a stranger who doesn’t know anything? Probably not._ What was he supposed to do. Go say hello?

Then Vilde’s voice demanded attention. She was talking about lots of people coming. Kosegruppa. Okay that was a start. Isak will take it.

 

***

 

‘And Sonja, my girlfriend.’ introduced Even a blonde girl to Isak. And all of the hope Isak had, crashed down that moment. _It’s nothing like that film, I promise._ Even had told him, he was just idiot thinking for a moment he was the wife.

 

***

 

It felt like a dream but it was real. Even was right there in the pool with Isak and they were kissing. No one ran away until they ran away together.

 

***

 

Isak was looking around for Even outside the hotel, his clothes pressed into his chest but Even was nowhere to be seen this time.

 

***

 

‘You’re not alone.’ Isak told Even and he meant it like all the times Even said and meant it.

 

 

 

 

**17 and 20**

 

It was Valentine’s Day and Isak was at kollektivet, waiting for Even to come. He had wrapped up the clothes he bought for Even when he was a kid, decided to give them back to him as a joke. A joke would take Even few years to get. _It was totally worth it._

  
Finally there was a ring at the door, Isak opened it. ‘I just met the cutest boy, Isak. Oh my god!’ Even yelped. Isak just smiled and pulled Even inside. After all he grew to like Valentine’s Day.

**Author's Note:**

> Isak is the best character ever in any TV series, because it feels so real. His backstory meant a whole lot to me.


End file.
